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Crimson/Red

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Crimson/Red
Studio album by
Released7 October 2013 (2013-10-07)
RecordedAutumn 2012
StudioAndromeda Heights Studio
GenrePop
Label
Producer
Prefab Sprout chronology
Let's Change the World with Music
(2009)
Crimson/Red
(2013)

Crimson/Red is the tenth studio album by English pop band Prefab Sprout, although for this album "Prefab Sprout" consists entirely of singer/songwriter Paddy McAloon, who writes, sings and plays every note on the album. Crimson/Red was released in the United Kingdom by Icebreaker Records and Kitchenware Records on 7 October 2013.[1] The album title is a reference to artist Mark Rothko.[2]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10[3]
Metacritic81/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
The Guardian[6]
The Independent[7]
The Irish Times[8]
Mojo[9]
The Observer[10]
Q[11]
Record Collector[12]
The Times[13]
Uncut8/10[14]

In Mojo magazine, critic Danny Eccleston called Crimson/Red "the welcome return of Durham's song-craftsman supreme".[9] The Observer's Phil Mongredien praised the album as "charming, articulate and urbane" (a lyric from "Devil Came a Calling").[10] Four-star ratings appeared in both The Independent and The Times, with the former describing Crimson/Red as a "lovely album from a true one-off".[7]

David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "The music throughout is just as beautiful and bold as the lyrics", with "immaculate production and an overall classic album flow".[5]

Commercial reception

[edit]

Crimson/Red was a chart success for Prefab Sprout. The album debuted at No. 15 in the UK Albums Chart, giving the band their highest-charting record since Andromeda Heights in 1997.

Crimson/Red debuted at No. 10 in Sweden and No. 21 in Norway, giving the band their second-highest chart positions ever in both countries. In its second week on the Norwegian charts, "Crimson/Red" climbed to No. 7, an all-time high for the band in Norway.

In Ireland, the album debuted at No. 40 (and No. 9 on the indie chart). In Germany, the album debuted at No. 42, making it Prefab Sprout's highest-charting album there.

Crimson/Red also charted in the Flanders region of Belgium (No. 83) and in Switzerland (No. 92).

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Paddy McAloon.

  1. "The Best Jewel Thief in the World"
  2. "List of Impossible Things"
  3. "Adolescence"
  4. "Grief Built the Taj Mahal"
  5. "Devil Came a Calling"
  6. "Billy"
  7. "The Dreamer"
  8. "The Songs of Danny Galway"
  9. "The Old Magician"
  10. "Mysterious"

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Prefab Sprout | Crimson/Red". Prefabsproutalbum.com. 7 October 2013. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  2. ^ According to an interview with Paddy McAloon on BBC Radio 6 Music on 8 October 2013
  3. ^ "Crimson/Red by Prefab Sprout reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Reviews for Crimson/Red by Prefab Sprout". Metacritic. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  5. ^ a b Jeffries, David. "Crimson/Red – Prefab Sprout". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  6. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (3 October 2013). "Prefab Sprout: Crimson/Red – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  7. ^ a b Richman, Simmy (6 October 2013). "Album review: Prefab Sprout, Crimson/Red (Icebreaker Records)". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  8. ^ Clayton-Lea, Tony (4 October 2013). "Prefab Sprout: Crimson/Red". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  9. ^ a b Eccleston, Danny (7 October 2013). "Prefab Sprout – Crimson Red". Mojo. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  10. ^ a b Mongredien, Phil (6 October 2013). "Prefab Sprout: Crimson/Red – review". The Observer. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Prefab Sprout: Crimson/Red". Q (328): 114. November 2013.
  12. ^ Staunton, Terry (November 2013). "Prefab Sprout – Crimson/Red". Record Collector (420). Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  13. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (5 October 2013). "Prefab Sprout: Crimson/Red". The Times. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  14. ^ Mulholland, Garry (31 October 2013). "Prefab Sprout – Crimson/Red". Uncut. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.